Directional signal.



SCHLAEGER DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL- APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11 I916.

Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

.I. I. SCHLAEGER, In.

DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11 I9i6.

, 2 SHEETS SHE.ET 2.

' Patented Feb. 20, 1917.-

' relation of the signaling apparatus thereto.

jnals for all kinds JOSEPH J. SCI-ILAEGER, JR,

OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters'Batent."-

- Patented Feb. 20. i err.

ApplicationfiledFebruary 11.1916 Serial No. 77,660.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH J. Sonmnenn,

Jr., a citizen of the'United States, residing at. St.'-;Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State :of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Directional Signals, of which the following is a specification. 1 This invention relates to directional sigof motor vehicles, the object of the invention being to produce a signal of the character referred to, the construction of which adapts the same to be readily mounted upon any motor vehicle and operated by the driver in his seat, the mechanism involving front and rear signaling devices shown in the form of semaphores, both of which are coupled to the same actuating shaft and simultaneously operated by a common lever for the purpose of advising persons and the drivers of vehicles in front and in rear of the machine as to anycontemplated change in the direction about to be taken by the machine equipped with the sig naling apparatus.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as herein described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:--

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a'suflicient portion of a motor vehicle to illustrate the application of the signaling apparatus of this invention thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section showing the forward portion of the signaling mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing therear. portion of the signaling mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a sufficient portion of the vehicle to illustrate the rela tion of the signaling apparatus thereto.

Fig. 5 is arear elevation of a sufficient portion of a motor vehicle to illustrate the Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the front shaft hanger as applied to what'is termed a square axle.

Fig. 7 is a similar view of the front shaft hanger as adapted for use in connection With a round axle.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the rear shaft hanger.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view-of one of the clips for fastening the rear hanger support to the rear axle housing.

' able saidlever 13 to 15 shown in the form of is provided Fig. 10 is a detail view of the operating lever.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the lever retaining rack.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the front axle of a motor vehicle, axle housing thereof, 3 the floor of the, vehicle, at the radiator, 5 the shaft of the en- 'gine starting crank, 6 the front wheels and 7 the rear wheels of the machine, all of said partsb'eing of the usual construction'and arrangement.

2 the .rear

I In carrying out the present invention, 1

employ a signal actuating rock shaft designated generally at A and comprising a front section 8 and a rear section 9, the said shaft sections bein rarranged in longitudinal alinement wit longitudinally and about centrally of the chassis. The adjacent extremities of the shaft sections 8 and 9 are c'onn'ectedin fixed relation. to each other by means of a T coupling 10 of tubular formation having the horizontally extending portion 11 to receive the adjacent ends of the shaft sections 8 and 9 and an upstanding portion 12 adapted to receive the lower end of an operating lever 18 which extends through the floor 3 of the vehicle and is; provided beneath the floor with an offset portion 14 adapted to clear the drive shaft of the machine so as to enbe swung to one side or the other of the machine for a purpose which will appear. v

The lever 13 passes through an opening in the floor 3 and to said floor is secured a rack a plate secured to the floor by fasteners 16, the plate extending transversely of. the machine and being provided with a longitudinal slot 1'7 having extensions or notches 18 and 19 into which the lever 13 is adapted to be drawn by means of a lever retaining spring 20 one end of which is attached to the lever 18, the other extremity of the spring being attached to the floor the point 21.

each other and extending At its forward extremity the rock shaft A i with an upstanding. arm 22 carrying a signal or semaphore 23 and'at its rear end said shaft A is provided with an' other upstanding arm 24 carrying a semaphore or like signal 25. The arms :22 and. 24 are in line with the operating lever 13 so that when said lever. stands in an upright to its forward end by inFig. 6, the front shaft hanger embodies a pair of L-shaped bearing members 26 .ar-

ranged in spaced relation to each other and formed with bearing openings 27 for the shaft A. The vided with oppositely extending flanges 28 through which are inserted -bolts 29 arranged in front and rear of the axle l,said bolts also passing through'a cap plate 30 which isslotted as shown at'31 to allow for adjustment to suit axles of different sizes. Bolts'32 are also inserted through v the spaced bearing members 26 as shown. By the means just described, the shaft hanger as a whole is held in fixed relation to the front axle 1.

In case the front axle is of the round type, the shaft hanger illustrated in detail in Fig. 7 is employed, the same comprising the split sleeve 33 having outwardly extending flanges, 34 to receive clamping bolts 35 by means of which the sleeve 33 is tightly clamped around the front axle. The hanger shown in' Fig. bers 36 arranged .in spaced relation to each other'and secured to the sleeve 33 by fasteners 37, said bearing members being provided with bearing holes 38 to receive the rock shaft A. In order to prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft A, a stop collar 39 is adjustably fastened. on said shaft bV means of a set screw .40 or the equivalent thereof, said collar being located between the spaced bearing members 26 01 36 as the ase may be. 7

The rear shaft hanger C also comprises a pair of spaced bearing members 41 which are preferably connected together at the hot tom as shown at 42 and provided with bearing openings 43 for the shaft A. The members 4.1 are extended as shown and outwardly offset to provide substantially semicylindrical portions H to embrace a hanger support 4-5 shown in the form of an inverted arch or bow secured to the rear axle housing. The members 41 are-further provided with flanges 16 to receive clamping bolts 47 by means of which the bearing members 41 are fixedly clamped to the support 45.

The opposite extremities of the shaft hanger support 45 are preferably" flattened and-provided with holes 48 to receive bolts which are inserted through diametrically split sectional clips 49 which embrace the bearing members 26 are pro- 7 comprises the bearing memcollar on said shaftbetween two rear axle housing 2 as shown in Fig. 5, the support 45 being thus fixedly connected to the rear axle housing.

The arm 22 at the forward end of the shaft A is provided with an eye or loop 50 to embrace the shaft 5 of the engine starting crankin order that the arm may be thrown the necessary distance to one side or the other. Vhile this eye or loop 50 is shown as of circular formation, it will, of course, be understood that the shape thereof may be changed in any way that will permit the arm 22 to swing laterally to the desired .extent.

From the foregoing description, taken in accompanying drawunderstood that when connection with the ings, it will now be the lever 13 stands in an upright position,

being sustained in such position by means of the spring 20 and the cmtral notch 18 of the rack 15, the semaphore arms and 24: will also stand in an upright position, this being the neutral or non-signaling position. If the operator of the machine intends to turn to the right, he presses the lever 13 to the right, the spring 20 permitting thelever to move out of the notch 1t] and again causing said lever to be'retaincd in the right hand notch 19 when the latter is reached by the lever.' In this movement of the lever 13, the front and rear signaling arms are swung in a corresponding direction so that the front and rear semaphores will point to the right thereby indicating to those in frontand rear of the machine the contemplated change in the direction of themachine. While it is preferred to an range the lever 13 lowdown so that it may be pushed or kicked from one position to another by the foot of the operator of the machine, saidvlever may, of course, be made of sufficient length to be operated by the driver's hand. It is also preferred to make the lever 13 of sectional construction so that the upper portion thereof maybe separated from the lower portion'at a point just above the floor 3 where the upper and lower portions of the lever are shown as detachably connected together by a threaded joint 51.

Having thus described my invention, I claim In a directional signal, the combination with a motor vehicle, of a sectional rock shaft extending longitudinally of the chassis and beneath the vehicle body and the front and rear axles, hangers for said shaft fastened to'the front and rear axles, each embodying a plurality of bearing members in spaced relation to each otheifa stop adjaccntly located bearing members, arms rising from the frontand rear extremities of said shaft and located respectively in front of the front axle and behind the rear axle, a semaphore carried by each arm, an operating lever extending through thevehicle floor and 'ofiset In testimony whe reof Iv affix. my signature between its ends to clear the drive shaft, in presence of'two witnesses.

it tubular T-coupling receiving and fixedly connecting the adjacent extremities of the JOSEPH CE rock shaft and the operating lever, and a Witnessesi rack for holding said lever in any one of H. BmLE BER several positions. E. BIELE BER 

